1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle input device which is mounted on a vehicle steering apparatus and serves to operate the headlight, the direction indicator, the transmission, the wiper, the air conditioner, the audio device, and the like of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle such as an automobile, the driver performs many device operations while steering the vehicle. These device operations include many operations required for safe driving, and, for example, lighting-up of a headlight due to sunset and an operation of a direction indicator prior to direction change are operations required for safe driving.
It is preferred that the driver be able to perform such an operation required for safe driving while performing a steering operation. It is desired that the driver be able to perform such an operation while holding the steering wheel. In addition, safer driving is possible if a transmission, a wiper, an air conditioner, and an audio device can be operated without releasing a hand from the steering wheel.
However, for example, with regard to a transmission, a shift lever for operating the transmission is provided in the vicinity of a center console next to the driver's seat, on a steering column, or the like. Thus, the driver cannot operate the shift lever unless releasing one hand from the steering wheel, and this may impede safe driving.
Meanwhile, in some luxury cars and sports type vehicles, a transmission operation mechanism called a paddle shift is provided as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-255646, and the driver is allowed to operate a transmission while holding a steering wheel which is a part of a steering apparatus.
In the transmission operation mechanism disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-255646, as shown in FIG. 10, a pair of paddle shifts 110R and 110L are mounted on laterally-extending connection portions 104R and 104L of a steering wheel 101 which includes a ring portion 102, a center portion 103 in which a horn and the like are stored, and a connection portion 104.
The paired paddle shifts 110R and 110L allow the driver to operate the transmission while holding the steering wheel, the transmission shifts up by an operation of one of the paddle shifts, and the transmission shifts down by an operation of the other paddle shift.
However, what can be operated with the paddle shifts is only the transmission, and another operation mechanism needs to be provided in order to operate a device other than the transmission.
In general, devices, such as a headlight and a direction indicator, which cannot be operated with the paddle shifts, are operated with a pair of right and left combination switches, which are called stalk switches and fixed to the vehicle body side such as a steering column.
Such an existing stalk switch is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-12365. As shown in FIG. 11, a rotation shaft (not shown) of an operation lever 201 is pivotally supported by a shaft support portion 202b of a holder 202, and a rotation shaft 202a of the holder 202 is pivotally supported by a housing 203. Thus, the operation lever 201 is allowed to be operated in a first operation direction 20D1 in which the operation lever 201 rotates about the shaft support portion 202b, and to be operated in a second operation direction 20D2 in which the operation lever 201 rotates about the rotation shaft 202a. 
On a circuit board 204 retained on the bottom of the housing 203, contact patterns 204a and 204b are formed. When the operation lever 201 is operated in the first operation direction 20D1, a wiper 209 retained by a slider 206 which is connected to the operation lever 201 via a link driver 205 moves on the contact pattern 204a, and the operation of the first operation direction 20D1 is detected. In addition, when the operation lever 201 is operated in the second operation direction 20D2, a second wiper (not shown) mounted on a plurality of operating members (not shown) moves on the contact pattern 204b, and the operation of the second operation direction 20D2 is detected.
Thus, for example, when it is configured such that beam switching of the headlight is performed in the first operation direction 20D1 and the direction indicator is performed in the second operation direction 20D2, a beam switching operation and an operation of the direction indicator are allowed to be performed in a state where the hands are put on the steering wheel.
However, in order to allow many more operations, for example, operations such as turning on/off the headlight and switching the headlight to a small light, to be performed with an existing stalk switch, countermeasure such as adding a rotary switch to an end of the operation lever needs to be taken. Such an added switch cannot be operated unless a hand is released from the steering wheel, and this may impede safe driving.
The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and the present invention provides a vehicle input device which allows various devices to be operated while a steering wheel is held.